Check Out These Tips When Buying a Live Christmas Tree

With Thanksgiving officially in the books all attention is now on the arrival of Christmas which falls on a Friday this year. So "officially" we are into the Christmas shopping season and for many that means going out and purchasing a live Christmas tree.

With the ownership of a live tree comes the responsibility of keeping it from drying out. The last thing you want is to have your tree's needles on the floor before December 25.

Here are a couple of things you can do to make sure your tree doesn't dry up before Santa's visit. First of all, once you select a tree and you get it home, you should trim off base of the tree by a few more inches. Why do that you ask? We'll, once a tree is initially cut, the sap drains to the base of the tree and forms a sealant that will coat the bottom of the tree making it difficult for the tree to draw the water you provide it to keep it healthy longer.

After trimming the base, then drill a few holes into the bottom of the tree.  This will provide a series of small channels for the water to enter the base of the tree easier. You will be amazed at how much water a living tree will consume so make sure you check it daily.

These few steps in tree ownership will go a long way to making sure your tree is healthy and not a fire hazard.